New Pottermore Website Will Offer Interactive Reading Experience and Harry Potter Ebooks
J.K. Rowling launched the Pottermore website this morning. The site will provide an interactive reading experience for fans of the Harry Potter series. The Harry Potter books will also be sold on the site in ebook form for the first time.
The site will open to all users on October 2011. Registration for the site will begin on July 31st and some users will be able to gain early access to the site by completing an online challenge.
A press release (PDF) for the launch says the new site will allow readers to interact with the books. Readers can even get sorted into a house by the Sorting Hat. J.K. Rowling will also share new information about the characters and world of Harry Potter on Pottermore.
In the new website, the storyline will be brought to life with sumptuous newly-commissioned illustrations and interactive 'Moments' through which you can navigate, starting with the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer’s) Stone. On entering, you choose a magic username and begin your experience. As you move through the chapters, you can read and share exclusive
writing from J.K. Rowling, and, just as Harry joins Hogwarts, so can you. You visit Diagon Alley, get sorted into a house, cast spells and mix potions to help your house compete for the House Cup. At a press conference at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Rowling revealed some key features of the website.
In an announcement which will thrill fans, she described how she has brought to life both the Sorting Hat and Ollivanders experiences from her books for the first time on Pottermore, by revealing the questions asked by the Sorting Hat - which places newcomers into their Hogwarts houses according to their characteristics - and the magic behind the Wand Chooser - which finds the right wand for each user from over 33,000 possible combinations. She also revealed glimpses of the new information she has provided on some of the best-loved characters.
J.K. Rowling said, "I wanted to give something back to the fans that have followed Harry so devotedly over the years, and to bring the stories to a new digital generation. I hope fans and those new to Harry will have as much fun helping to shape Pottermore as I have. Just as I have contributed to the website, everyone else will be able to join in by submitting their own comments, drawings and other content in a safe and friendly environment – Pottermore has been designed as a place to share the stories with your friends as you journey through the site."
Here is J.K. Rowling's official Pottermore announcement. Take a look:
